Adventmarkt in St. Leonhard | © Jonathan Forsthuber Adventmarkt in St. Leonhard | © Jonathan Forsthuber

Fairytale Stroll through St. Leonhard Advent Market

We love to ramble through the Salzburg Christkindlmarkt and experience the pure enchantment. Arts & crafts, leather goods, exquisite specialties and sweet temptations lie in wait around every corner, making them practically impossible to resist. But wouldn’t it be nice to immerse ourselves completely in the magic of Christmas season and discover new spots a little farther removed from the world-famous Christmas market itself? That’s why we set out on a treasure hunt throught St. Leonhard Advent Market.

All for a good cause

Our festive foray now takes us to the small village of St. Leonhard. We are captivated immediately: Like a small village, the Christmas market is snuggled close to the village’s famous pilgrimage church. As we enter the market, we immediately notice the tempting fragrance of freshly baked bread. It just takes a brief sampling – and the bread for our next morning’s breakfast is bought.

Christmas decorations, ceramics, hand-carved Nativity figures and toys – the Advent market in St. Leonhard offers everything to warm the heart of Christmas fans. One thing that makes this market particularly special, is the fact that volunteers stand at every booth and all proceeds are donated to good causes. One of our fellow visitors also informs us that entrancing Advent celebrations are hosted in the church every evening at 5 o’clock. But because we have just missed it, we go ahead and treat ourselves – in the spirit of charity, needless to say – to a mug of hot punch instead.